Chaos
by OmegaMewtwo
Summary: About 20 to 30 years after NCZ, the Death Saurer and Death Stinger are reawakening. At the same time, a slighlty insane Organoid and a boy who discovered him are beginning to wear out each other's nerves.
1. The First Fight

"C'mon Mom. If you sign here, I might win the Zoid that I want." I said, holding out the form and a pen.  
  
"Fine, Ruska. Just know that I'm not going to do this again." My mom said, signing the slip. As soon as she was finished, I put the form in the envelope, and put it in the mailbox. The next two weeks passed without an incedent. Whenever I could, I played the Zoid simulator. When I got home that night, my little sister came running up to me with an envelope in her hand.  
  
"Ruska, you won!" She yelled, thrusting the envelope into my hands. On the envelope, it said congratulations. I ripped it open, and read the letter. I had to compete against five other people, and if I won, I got my own Zoid. I needed to be at my town hall tomorrow at noon, and bring my Zoid designs.  
  
"Yes!" I exclaimed. I ran into the house, grabbed a CD and inserted it into my computer.  
  
"What is it, Ruska? Did we win?" A voice said, coming from my computer speakers.  
  
"We finally won Riina. Download our Zoid plans onto the disc." I told my computer. A teenage holographic girl on my computer screen nodded, and set about the download.  
  
"There, it's done." Riina told me. I pulled the CD out, and inserted another.  
  
"I know you don't like being saved to a CD, but it's the only way to bring you with me." I said.  
  
"Alright." Riina mumbled as she downloaded herself onto the CD. When she was done, my computer seemed lifeless. I'd grown used to Riina being on my computer. I pulled the CD out, and turned my computer off. I grabbed my notebooks, and put them in my back pack. I put the CDs in a case, and put them in my back pack also. After that, I fell asleep thinking about my Zoid designs.  
  
"Ruska! Get up!" My mother yelled down the stairs. I jumped out of bed, and got dressed. I grabbed my back pack, and ran up the stairs. "Ruska, I'm surprised that you weren't up and ready. You normally are." My mom remarked as I ate a pop-tart. Most of the time, Riina woke me up.  
  
"My alarm didn't go off." I said. My mother took this as an answer, and I left for the town hall to wait for the gustav. I didn't have long to wait, and, as it turned out, I was the last person to get on. I sat by my friend, William. He was playing checkers on his laptop. I hadn't expected him to be here, but at least I knew someone.  
  
"Hey, want to play checkers?" He asked, "The computer's too easy."  
  
"Sure." I said. He started a new game, and I made the first move. In the end, he won. "Do you want a real challenge?" I asked him.  
  
"Yeah." He said. I pulled out Riina's CD and inserted it in the laptop. "What's that?" He asked.  
  
"This is my friend, Riina." I said as a window popped up on screen. It showed a brown haired girl with light blue eyes and normal facial features. "Hey, Riina. My friend here would like a challenge at checkers. Do you think you could give him one?" I asked her.  
  
"Sure, Ruska. Who's your friend, and where am I, because it's kind of cramped here." She replied.  
  
"My name's William. You're on my laptop. Are you an entirely original AI?" He asked.  
  
"Yep, Ruska made me. Now are we going to play checkers?" Riina asked.  
  
"Sure, let me just get the program ready." William said, but before he did a thing, the checkers program popped up behind Riina. "Never mind." He mumbled as he made his move. Riina immediately made her move. Fifteen minutes later, William was defeated. "Wow, you're good." William remarked.  
  
"Riina, you need to get back on your CD. We're getting off." I said. Riina looked disdainful, but did as I said. I removed the CD and put it away. "Thanks for the game of checkers." I said as William put his laptop away.  
  
"You're welcome. Did you really design Riina?" William asked as we exited the gustav.  
  
"I made her from scratch. She was my first ever try and my only successful one." I replied. A woman came walking up to us.  
  
"Please give us your Zoid designs, and walk into the building." She said. I pulled out my Zoid CD and handed it to the lady before entering the building. Inside was a circle of six Zoid simulators.  
  
"Ackley, get in number one." A man ordered. I got in, and checked my controls. Just like a Gunsnipers controls. I popped open the CD tray near my knee, and inserted Riina.  
  
"Hey Ruska, is this our Zoid?" Riina asked.  
  
"No, this is a simulator. Get ready for a battle." I said as the other kids got in the simulators.  
  
"Ruska, what Zoid do you have?" William asked over the comm.  
  
"Gunsniper. What about you?" I replied.  
  
"I've got a Raynos. I hope that your a challenge at this, unlike checkers." William said.  
  
"Don't worry, if these are designed after our Zoids like I think they are, you'll get a challenge." I told him.  
  
"Start up your simulators." A new voice said over the comm. I started up the Gunsniper simulator. My radar was telling me that everyone else was at least 50 meters away. A little to close for comfort.  
  
"Riina, is the simulation based on our design?" I asked.  
  
"They're the same, even in color." Riina replied.  
  
"Battle, NOW!" The voice said over the comm. I targeted a Command Wolf that was in front of me, and fired off a couple of missiles, taking out his gun.  
  
"Ruska, behind you!" Riina warned. I popped the blade out of the tail, and sliced off the incoming Revraptor's blade. I checked my radar. A Shield Liger and Blade Liger were going at it, and a Raynos was swooping in on them. I fired off my side mounted machine guns, and as soon as I ran out of bullets, I detached the guns. I'd taken out the Blade Liger, and William took out the Shield Liger. As he fired his missiles, I got a lock on him and fired my remaining missiles. I took out a missile pod, but the Zoid kept going.  
  
"Not bad, Ruska, but it could have been better." William said over the comm. I checked my radar, and saw that he was right above me, unmoving. I checked his speed, and it said he was going almost the speed of sound. I immediately detached the missile pods and turned my boosters on full power, sending me twenty meters backwards. As soon as I landed, a Raynos came in, trying to pull out of the dive. William partially succeeded, but still crashed into the ground. The simulator turned off, and Riina reverted to the disc. I pulled the disc out and put it away in my bag before getting out of the simulator.  
  
"Ruska Ackley has won the contest. He will get his own custom made Zoid. The rest of you get normal versions of the Zoid you used in the simulator." A lady said when everyone was out. "Mr. Ackley, if you could come with me please." She said as she dismissed the others. I walked after her into a garage like area with the six Zoids from the battle, but unmodified. Some equipment was working on the Gunsniper. "This is your Zoid. We won't be giving you a ride back, so in a half hour you need to leave with your Zoid." She said. She left me there, watching my Zoid be built.  
  
"I can't believe you won. You're better at Zoids than checkers." A voice behind me said. I turned around to see William and the other contestants come in.  
  
"I designed my Zoid to fit my battle strategy, and be unpredictable." I said, "If you wait five more minutes, my Zoid will be finished, and we can register as a team."  
  
"Sure. Maybe you can also teach me how to make an AI." Will replied as the other kids got in there Zoids. The equipment pulled away from my Zoid, and I picked my bag up.  
  
"I'll attempt to teach you. Get in your Raynos, and let's go." I replied, climbing up the ladder and into my Zoid. I popped open the CD tray, and placed Riina's CD in. Riina immediately popped up on a screen to my right.  
  
"Wow, a Zoid computer is roomy. Where are we headed to first?" Riina said.  
  
"First, I need you to shut that screen off so I can safely pilot us out of here. After that, we're headed home to register and grab some stuff." I replied. Riina shut the screen off, but when I reached for the controls, they started moving on their own.  
  
"Don't worry Ruska. It's just me. I want to get used to this body." Riina's voice said over the speakers.  
  
"Hey, Ruska. That's some precise piloting you're doing." William said, walking his Raynos out.  
  
"That's not me, it's Riina." I replied.  
  
"How can she pilot it, she doesn't have a physical form." William said.  
  
"She is the Zoid. Her programming is the Zoid's now. Follow us, because we're heading to my home to register and so I can grab some stuff." I said.  
  
"Alright. Can you go faster though?" Will replied.  
  
"Riina, why don't you use the boosters?" I suggested. A screen came on in front of me, showing Riina.  
  
"I can't. I can't access weapons or boosters. You'll have to pilot from here." Riina said. She stopped so that I could grab the controls. Her screen disappeared, and I sent the Gunsniper into a run, and immediately hit the boosters, almost doubling my speed.  
  
"Now that's better. When do you think we'll reach your home?" Will asked.  
  
"By dinner. You can eat at my house if you want." I told him.  
  
"Depends on what's for dinner." Will replied. As soon as we were in the town, I shut my boosters off and returned to a walk.  
  
"See the long yellow house? That's my house. We need to head there first." I said. Will went ahead, and landed. I raced after him, and got there as my Mom came out to see who had landed in her backyard. "Riina, I need you to take control, and set me down." I said, opening the cockpit. One of the hands came up near the cockpit, and I climbed on. Riina set me down next to my mother. "Thanks Riina." I yelled to her.  
  
"Riina, your AI program?" My mom asked.  
  
"Yep, and we won our Zoid. William also won a Zoid, but it's unmodified. Do you mind if he eats here?" I said.  
  
"No, I don't mind. Dinner will be ready in a half hour." My mom replied.  
  
"Then we'll get our licenses." I said as Will came up.  
  
"Where do we get our licenses?" Will asked.  
  
"At the town hall. C'mon inside, I've got to get some stuff." I said. I walked in after my mother with Will right behind me. I walked into the basement, and into my room.  
  
"Ruska, you finally got a computer. I'm guessing this is where Riina was made?" Will said.  
  
"No, I made her during classes. When she first started up, I got a few detentions from my teacher. You should have seen my teacher's face when she started yelling at him for trying to shut her down." I told him, grabbing a duffel bag and stuffing some clothes in it, and some CDs. Then I opened a drawer in beneath my desk, and dug around in it. Then I pulled out some seemingly normal motorcycle goggles.  
  
"What's with the goggles?" Will asked. I put them on, and a set of screens popped up. I pressed a couple of hidden buttons on the side, and all it showed was a dot and distance meter.  
  
"They're some old goggles I got. Riina upgraded the software, and figured out how to fix them." I said, searching in a locked drawer for my money. I pulled out a drawsack full of credits. "Let's go get our licenses and register as a team." I said, putting the drawsack in my pocket, and picking up my duffel bag.  
  
"Ruska, can I go with you to get your licenses?" My sister asked when I was walking up the stairs.  
  
"Fine, Kyra." I replied. Kyra followed Will and I outside, and Will went to his Raynos. "Riina, could you pick Kyra and I up?" I yelled. She nodded her head and set her hand down in front of us.  
  
"An Ultimate X?" Kyra asked.  
  
"No. Riina, my AI program." I told her, climbing onto the hand. "C'mon Kyra." I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her on. Riina picked her hand up, and put it near the now open cockpit. I climbed into the cockpit and stuffed my duffel bag in the storage compartment behind the passenger seat, along with my backpack. "Alright, Kyra. You can come in." I said as I settled into the pilot's seat. Kyra climbed into the seat behind me, and strapped in.  
  
"Are you going to pilot, or am I?" Riina asked.  
  
"You can, if you want." I replied.  
  
"Thanks." Riina said, as the Gunsniper started moving. In less than a few minutes, we were at the town hall, and getting ready to register.  
  
"That will be two credits each." The man said. I pulled a couple of credits out of the drawsack and placed them on the table. William searched his pockets, and placed a couple more credits on the table. The man took the credits, and handed us our licenses. Will and I headed towards the table for becoming a team, when Kyra came out of another room, holding a license.  
  
"Ruska, wait up! I want to be on your team also." She said.  
  
"You don't even have a Zoid." I said, "When you have a Zoid, then you can join the team."  
  
"I've got a Blade Liger. Now I can join your team!" Kyra replied. I groaned, I hadn't expected her to have our mother's old Zoid. "Oh yeah, you got dad's old Revraptor." Kyra added as an after thought.  
  
"William, add Kyra to the team, and a Revraptor under my name. Kyra's got a Blade Liger." I said to Will, who was busy registering the team.  
  
"Done. What do you think your mom's cooking for dinner?" Will asked.  
  
"Probably spaghetti." I replied as we walked out. Riina picked Kyra and I up, and we climbed into the cockpit. After dinner, Kyra packed her stuff, and we put it in with my stuff. Will got in his Raynos, and took off as Kyra and I buckled in. "Riina, I'm going to pilot, okay?" I said.  
  
"Sure. The controls are yours." Riina replied. I grabbed the controls, and turned the boosters on. In less than a minute, we were home. Riina layed down, and Kyra and I got out.  
  
"We'll be back in a bit, Riina." I told her. We walked up to the door as Will came up. Inside, my mom was bringing the spaghetti into the dining room. I took the pot, and set it on the table.  
  
"Thanks Ruska." My mom said as she sat down. After dinner, we said our good byes, and we got ready to leave. My stepfather's truck pulled into the driveway, and he climbed out. "Going to get your other Zoids?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah, we'll need the password." I replied.  
  
"It's Prosnosis." He replied.  
  
"Thanks." I said as Kyra and I climbed in the cockpit. "Riina, I'll have to pilot because you don't know where the garage is." I told her as she stood up.  
  
"Alright." Riina said. I fired up the boosters, sending us after Will. He slowed down so that we could catch up.  
  
"You really should get a faster Zoid. That thing's too slow." Will said.  
  
"I'm planning on upgrading the boosters soon, but it goes a lot faster without weapons." I replied, "Riina, can you divert weapons power to the boosters?"  
  
"Sure. There you go. You can double the output." Riina said. I pushed the boosters harder, and I sped ahead of the Raynos.  
  
"That's better." Will said, catching up to us easily. A few minutes later, Riina set Kyra and I down. Will stayed in his Raynos. I walked over to the Revraptor and Blade Liger restraints.  
  
"Prosnosis. Unlock." I said. The energy restraints disengaged, and fell to the ground. I picked them up, and brought them into my stepfather's garage. Kyra climbed into the Blade Liger. I locked the door behind me, and walked over to the crouched Revraptor. I walked up to the cockpit, and popped it open. I climbed in, and activated the old Zoid. The comm unit crackled to life, and Riina's voice came through.  
  
"Ruska, what are you doing?" She asked.  
  
"You can pilot the Gunsniper while I pilot the Revraptor." I replied, running a system check. Everything was okay, so I stood the Zoid up, and started plodding by the Gunsniper. "C'mon. We want to get to the next the town by ten." I said. The Gunsniper remained motionless for a moment, and then the boosters sparked to life.  
  
"I figured out a way to use the boosters!" Riina exclaimed.  
  
"Now let's get going!" Kyra said, turning the Blade Liger in the general direction of the town we were going to head to.  
  
"Fine." I said, activating the Revraptor's boosters. It had the second best boosters a pilot could get, instead of the normal blades, it had energy blades like a Blade Liger's. It sported two large energy cannons, mounted on the back. They were of the same design as the legendary Panzer armor, and just as powerful. It had an underbelly gattling gun, and it's armor had been upgraded many times, but it was still in the medium weight range for a Zoid. I sped after my sister, Will, and Riina. A couple of hours, we arrived at our destination. We went to a Zoid garage, and rented a bay for the night.  
  
"I don't want to stay here. It's so lifeless." Riina complained.  
  
"Sorry, but this is the only place you can stay." I told her. She grumbled, but agreed to stay peacefully. We left, and went to a hotel to rent a room. I had just enough credits for one night. We made our way to the room, and each collapsed on a bed or couch. A few minutes later, we were all snoring. I woke up to a loud snort. My goggles were hanging around my neck, so I pulled them up onto my forehead. Kyra was out on the couch, snoring loudly, and Will was rolling in the nearby bed. I checked the time, and got up. I walked over to Will, and shook him awake.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"It's ten. We have to leave in an hour, so connect your laptop to the phonelines, and find someone who wants to battle." I told him, walking over to my sister. I shook her awake, and she rolled off the couch.  
  
"They need thicker carpeting here." Kyra moaned.  
  
"I found an E class team." Will said, folding his laptop up.  
  
"Did you contact them?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, and we're battling this afternoon." Will said as we left with our bags. We stopped to check out, and then went to the Zoid garage.  
  
"Took you long enough." Riina grumbled as I climbed into the Revraptor.  
  
"Just go to the coordinates Will gives you. We'll be having a battle there." I replied, walking out of the garage. A map appeared onscreen, and a small red dot was blinking. I turned the boosters on, and headed off to the battlefield. Will passed me, and Kyra caught up to me. Riina was behind us, barely keeping up. Fifteen minutes later, we were at the battlefield. It was a desert with a lot of large rocks. I crouched the Revraptor down outside of the battle field, and set up a sleeper mode. I climbed out, and headed over to Riina. "Riina, can you give me a lift?" I asked.  
  
"Sure." Riina replied, setting her hand down in front of me. I climbed on, and she placed her hand near the open cockpit. I climbed in, and shut the cockpit.  
  
"Everything running okay?" I asked, strapping myself in.  
  
"Yep, we're ready for battle." Riina replied as a judge capsule came roaring in.  
  
"Hey, where are our opponents?" Kyra asked.  
  
"They're probably going to launch a surprise attack. Be cautious." I said as the judge gave his speech. Kyra started preparing her shield.  
  
"Will, see if you can spot our opponents." I said, extending my sensor range as far as possible. I picked up a faint blip as Will came back.  
  
"Ruska, they're behind the sand dune. If you come near them, a Command or Revraptor will be after you. Their third Zoid looks almost like the Liger Zero." Will informed me.  
  
"Thanks. Distract the Revraptor, and Kyra can take care of the Command Wolf. I'll go after the other one." I said, warming the boosters up.  
  
"On it." Will replied.  
  
"Fine." My sister mumbled.  
  
"Riina, as soon as we get within scanning range, I need you to scan the mysterious Zoid." I said, pulling my goggles down. They immediately turned on, and started giving me a distance readout. I ignited the boosters, and sent the Gunsniper towards the enemy's hiding place. Kyra and Will shotahead of me, and the Command Wolf and Revraptor followed. The remaining Zoid did look like the Liger Zero, but Bit owned that Zoid, and he was in Class S. Riina scanned it, and I prepared to fire some missiles.  
  
"Ruska, that Zoid has the same exact reading as the Liger Zero! Be careful, I don't know what it's capable of." Riina said. The Zoid sprang to life, and was behind me in a flash. I activated the tail blade, and the energy arced towards the Zoid, missing it by inches. I ignited the boosters to spin me, and deactivated the boosters. I got the missile lock to lock onto the Zoid, and emptied the back pod. I immediately detached it, and fired the boosters to get me away.  
  
"Not bad, for a non Ultimate X. Try this. STRIKE LASER CLAW!" A voice said over the comm.  
  
"Riina, charge our hand claws!" I said as the Zoid burst out of the fog. I raised the Gunsniper's hands, and batted away the forepaws of the Zoid, and then headbutted it. The blow knocked it onto its back, and I fired a couple of rounds into the underbelly.  
  
"The Omega Team is the winner!" The judge announced.  
  
"Riina, when I get out, I want you to go pick up the missile pod we dropped, okay?" I said, opening the cockpit as she bent down.  
  
"Sure." Riina replied before I got out. I hopped out, and she stood up and walked over to the pod.  
  
"Your Zoid's also an Ultimate X?" A boy asked, climbing out of the cockpit of the fallen Zoid. 


	2. Greetings

"Interesting." The boy remarked as Riina came back with the missile pod in her hands. His Liger flashed, and a small saurian like Zoid stood on the cockpit.  
  
"What's that?" I asked, pointing at the strange brown Zoid. The boy looked back to see what I was pointing at.  
  
"Oh, that's just Terran. He's an Organoid." The boy told me. "By the way, what's your name?" He asked.  
  
"Ruska. What's yours?" I replied as our teammates came over.  
  
"My name's Trevor. The Revraptor pilot is Aurora and the Command Wolf pilot is Bruce." The boy told me.  
  
"Oh, the Blade Liger was piloted by my sister, Kyra, and the Raynos was piloted by Will." I said. Trevor nodded. "Do you know of a place we could stay? We're kinda short on money." I asked.  
  
"There's an abandoned base in a nearby forest that I stay at, you could use that for tonight." Trevor said.  
  
"Really? Thanks." I said. Our teammates had finally gotten within hearing distance.  
  
"What's going on?" A girl about my age asked. I assumed she was Aurora.  
  
"Nothin' much. These guys will be staying with us at our base." Trevor told them. Kyra looked at me in false surprise.  
  
"You actually had enough intelligence to try and find a place to stay?" She said in a mocking tone.  
  
"Shut up." I muttered to her. Kyra grinned, but was silent. "How far away is the base?" I asked.  
  
"'Bout a mile." Trevor said calmly.  
  
"Then let's get going." I replied. I don't know why, but I was in a hurry. Trevor nodded, and started walking back towards his Liger. I ran back to the Revraptor, and climbed in. I deactivated the sleeper mode, and plodded out onto the former battle field. The others were just beginning to leave, so I turned the boosters onto their max. I began to slowly gain on them, but something began to tug at the back of my mind. I ignored it for now. As soon as I caught up with the others, I heard a voice.  
  
Is this him? I think it is! But he seems younger. But he feels the same. Oh, the paradoxes of it. The voice said. I suddenly snapped back to reality to see a tree. I used the boosters to avert it. Riina's voice came over the speakers.  
  
"A bit of a delayed reaction there, eh? What happened?" Riina asked.  
  
"Nothing, I just got caught up in my thoughts." I replied. I shook my head to clear it, but I felt the nagging sensation return. It grew stronger as we continued deeper into the forest. I heard the voice again.  
  
It can't be him. He died many decades ago. But maybe this new one can suffice. For now I shall simply observe him. The voice said. Everything suddenly blacked out.  
  
"Ruska, wake up! Wake up you idiot!" I heard my sister say.  
  
You really ought to do as she says. The voice said in my head. My eyes snapped open, and I sat bolt upright on the bed, almost hitting Kyra.  
  
"Well that worked. Ruska, are you alright?" Kyra asked when she saw the expression on my face.  
  
"Yeah, I just need to go for a walk. Where are we, by the way?" I replied.  
  
"The old base." Kyra told me. I nodded absent mindedly, and got up. I walked by her and out of the room. She said something, but I ignored it. I continued down a hall until I came to a dead end. I looked around, and then kicked the bottom of the wall in front of me. I yelped in pain, and grabbed my foot.  
  
Idiot. The voice said. I ignored it, and looked at the wall to see that it had slid up into the ceiling to reveal a cavern. I stopped clutching my foot, and walked down the cavern. Infernal telepathic bonds. The voice said. A shadow moved deep within the cavern. I glanced over, but didn't see anything. I continued into the cavern, and heard a hiss. I looked behind me to see that the door was sliding shut.  
  
"Oh shoot!" I exclaimed, running back towards it. It clicked shut just as I reached it. I tried kicking it again, but it didn't work.  
  
Afraid of being in a room all alone? Want your mommy? The voice taunted.  
  
"Where are you?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.  
  
Me? I'm in your teeny little brain. You've got some interesting memories in here. And some odd ones. Oh, what's this? The voice said. I suddenly found myself looking at a younger version of myself. I was about three or four, and I was sucking my thumb. I looked around, and noticed the clock and where I was. I was in my first house, and it was nine at night. I was briefly wondering why the younger me was up when I heard something. Sobbing. I heard something walk up behind me, and turned around to see a deep red saurian Zoid with a dark orange underside and had brown stripes on his back (Think Ambient in shape, but slightly taller). It was a few feet taller than me.  
  
"Lemme guess, an Organoid?" I said.  
  
Congratulations, you just won a million dollars! The Organoid replied. I turned my back on him to watch my younger self. My younger self was still sucking his thumb, and I could tell that he could hear the sobbing. He'd apparently heard the whole argument because his eyes were red from soft crying. Say, do you know what's happening here? The Organoid asked, stepping up beside me.  
  
"Of course I know, it's my memory!" I exclaimed, starting to get annoyed.  
  
Well sorry for being polite. I just wanted to know what was going on. You humans are so confusing. The Organoid said, adding a few soft growls for emphasis.  
  
"Shut up, and get us out of this memory." I ordered. The Organoid scratched his head a bit sheepishly.  
  
Um, we have to wait until I wake up. The Organoid said.  
  
"Great, so we're stuck in a bad memory until you wake up. Just great." I muttered. The scenery changed, and I found myself standing next to a cliff. I jumped back in surprise. "Jesus Christ!" I exclaimed.  
  
What's the matter, afraid of heights? The Organoid.  
  
"So what if I am?" I retorted.  
  
Wimp. Ninny. The Organoid muttered.  
  
"It takes one to know one!" I replied.  
  
At least I'm not a geek! The Organoid exclaimed.  
  
"At least I don't mentally torture people." I said. The Organoid let out a soft growl, but remained silent. I felt a tugging sensation in my stomach. Apparently, the Organoid felt something similar because he looked up towards the sky.  
  
Finally, we're returning to the physical realm. The Organoid muttered. I looked up just as everything flashed black, and then I found myself standing in the cavern again. I turned around, and spotted the Organoid slinking away.  
  
"Hold it, buddy." I said, stalking after him. He froze, and looked back at me.  
  
Stupid human, stupid telepathic links, stupid cavern... The Organoid mumbled, and he continued cursing random things.  
  
"First of all, who are you?" I asked. The Organoid stopped rambling and looking at me.  
  
You say something? He replied. I sighed in aggravation.  
  
"Who are you, and what're you doing here?" I repeated.  
  
My name isn't of your concern, nor why I'm here. The Organoid said, growling.  
  
"Then how are you going to explain being here to the others?" I asked.  
  
They won't have to know about me. The Organoid said.  
  
"But what if I tell them?" I countered.  
  
I know every secret passage in this building. You'll never find me again. The Organoid replied. As soon as he finished saying that, my head started to ache and I found that I knew the entire layout of the base. I clutched my head in pain. Shoot, you have his blood in your veins. The Organoid said.  
  
"Whose blood?" I asked.  
  
His, my former master's. Because of that you were able to steal the map plans from my mind. The Organoid growled. It began stalking closer, when a yell sounded through the air.  
  
"Ruska! Where are you?" My sister yelled. The Organoid let out a long hiss. It began slinking back into the shadows.  
  
"You aren't going to get away that easily. You're coming with me." I said.  
  
Why should I? The Organoid asked.  
  
"Because if you don't, everyone at the base will be looking for you, plus another Organoid will be aiding us." I replied.  
  
You're bluffing. The Organoid said.  
  
"Are you sure you want to find out?" I asked.  
  
Just how will I be safer with you? The Organoid asked.  
  
"I can just tell the others that you're with me, and they'll leave you alone." I told him.  
  
What do you want from me in return? He asked.  
  
"Answers." I said.  
  
Fine, but after this, I'm leaving. The Organoid agreed.  
  
"Good, now let's get out of here." I replied, walking back towards the wall that I had entered through. The Organoid followed me angrily. I gave the wall a couple of good kicks, and it slid up into the ceiling again. I stepped into the hallway, and the Organoid followed cautiously. The wall slid shut behind us, and my sister rounded the corner. She gasped when she saw the Organoid.  
  
"Ruska, what is that?" Kyra asked.  
  
"Oh, this is an Organoid. His name is-"  
  
Link.  
  
"-Link. Link, this is my sister, Kyra." I said, with only an imperceptible pause.  
  
"What's an Organoid?" Kyra asked.  
  
"Good question." I replied.  
  
You don't know what an Organoid is? Link asked in disbelief.  
  
"It's not like you're a common sight. You're only the second one I've seen." I said. I noticed my sister looking at me oddly.  
  
"Ruska, are you alright? You're talking to yourself." Kyra asked.  
  
"I'm talking to Link." I told her. She nodded, but looked like she didn't believe me. Kyra began walking down the hall way, and Link and I followed her.  
  
Listen, an Organoid is like a miniature Zoid with some minor differences. We can merge with a Zoid, and increase its abilities. We can also merge with humans, and increase our own abilities. And we're able to evolve Zoids, and we're more intelligent. Link told me.  
  
"Anything else that you can do?" I asked.  
  
I can merge two Zoids into one. I can also merge with a person, and then merge with a Zoid to give it an even bigger boost of energy and power. It also gives the pilot more control over the Zoid. Link replied. I nodded to myself, thinking.  
  
"Is there any chance you could help me out in any of my Zoid battles?" I asked.  
  
You'd mostly sit back, and watch while I have to do the piloting for you. All you humans are like that. Way too slow. Link replied.  
  
"You think so? I bet I could keep up with you in battle." I said.  
  
With the aid of that AI, yeah. Without it, you're slow and useless. Link replied.  
  
"Even without Riina, I'm good enough to keep up with you." I told him.  
  
Alright, in the next battle you have, we'll use your RevRaptor. If you can keep up, I'll stay with you as your bonded Organoid. Otherwise, you have to provide shelter for me at any time I want it. Even after I've left this place. Link said.  
  
"You're on." I replied, turning around to face Link.  
  
"What are you doing?" Someone asked from behind me. I turned around to see Aurora looking at me oddly.  
  
"I was talking with Link." I replied.  
  
"Right. All I heard was you, and a muffled voice. You're almost as odd as Trevor." She said, turning and walking away.  
  
That's strange. Link commented.  
  
"Yeah, I didn't hear her walk up behind me." I said.  
  
Not that. She could hear my voice, although it was muffled. And her mind is confusing. It's more complex than what it should be. Link told me.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
I'm not sure. It's just like there's a wall. Link replied.  
  
Maybe you shouldn't be reading her mind. A new voice said. Terran walked up behind me.  
  
Mind your own business. Hey Ruska, where'd your sister go? Link said.  
  
You wish for me to mind my business, and yet you search people's minds? Terran remarked. Link growled, and whipped around to face Terran. Terran jumped back nimbly, but was caught in midair by Link's tail. The four spikes twitched, trying to get a hold on the sleek, metal surface. They left four shallow cuts. Terran landed on his feet, and hissed. Link let out a similar hiss.  
  
"Link! I don't want to have to explain to Trevor why his Organoid is scrap metal." I said right before Link attacked again. He growled, but backed off a bit. Terran turned around, and walked off.  
  
You should be thankful, you son of a Link began.  
  
"Link, we need to find my sister." I said, cutting him off. He grumbled, but turned his back on the retreating Terran.  
  
Lousy excuse of an Organoid. Link muttered.  
  
"Ya know, I may call off our bet, if this what you're like all the time." I muttered. 


	3. Gambling is bad for your health

"So let me get this straight. You want Link and I to go into a battle with Aurora and Terran, and you expect us to win against a Gojulas and Shadow Fox?" I said.

"Yeah, it's a four team battle, and it's two teams against two other teams. And besides, I want to see how well you and Link work together." Trevor replied.

"And of course you spring this question the day after Terran and Link got into a fight." I pointed out.

"Can't let grudges get in the way of a battle. Besides, your Revraptor is undamaged, and Aurora's took minimal damage." Trevor replied.

"Alright. What do we get if we win?" I asked.

"We get bumped up two classes, and five times the normal amount of prize money." Trevor said.

"When's the battle?" I asked.

"This afternoon." Trevor replied.

"And how much work does Aurora's Revraptor need?" I asked.

"It blew a gasket, and a conduit was damaged." Aurora said.

That small amount of damage incapacitated a Revraptor? What type of pilot is she? Link asked. Apparently, Aurora heard that clearly. She thought I said it, though.

"I'll have you know that I pilot a Revraptor PB, and those damages occurred on the right leg. The weight is what incapacitated me." Aurora replied vehemently.

Feisty. Link observed. Aurora walked off, heading towards the hangar.

"Well, I guess you should be careful with Aurora and Link. I'd suggest explaining it to her before the match." Trevor advised. I sighed, and went after Aurora. Link stood where he was.

"I think you're supposed to go with him." Trevor told Link. Link growled, but followed me. As I entered the garage, I could hear Aurora mumbling and moving equipment around.

"Smug little smarty pants. Thinks he knows everything." Aurora muttered.

"He did have a point, if it had been a normal Revraptor, we could have retaliated and beat that Raynos." A voice that sounded Aurora's said. I walked around the Revraptor's leg to see Aurora tightening some bolts.

"Aurora?" I said. She hadn't seen me yet.

"What?" She snapped, looking at me. Her voice seemed to have a duality to it. She noticed it was me, and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"What was just going on?" I asked.

"Nothing. I was just working on the Revraptor." Aurora replied in the same exact voice she'd been talking with earlier.

"Aurora, you're starting to freak me out." I said.

She's a schizo. Link told me.

"What was that?" Aurora asked.

"That was Link. Are you really a schizophrenic?" I replied. Aurora nodded. "Oh. By the way, the Revraptor comment back in the dining room was Link, not me." I told her.

"Thank you for letting us know that." Aurora said in her other voice, picking up a crowbar.

"How much has been repaired?" I asked.

"Just got done with the gasket. The conduit is the main problem, and it's up in the thigh area." Aurora told me.

So this is what the PB looks like. Link mused, looking at the Revraptor.

"Yeah, and don't you dare touch it." Aurora said.

"But how are we supposed to help you repair it?" I asked.

"You won't." Aurora replied flatly.

"Then what do you expect us to do? Just sit around for another few hours?" I said.

"I don't particularly care." She replied, walking towards the ladder up into the catwalks. I grumbled, but walked off.

Is your Revraptor the standard type, or is it a PB also? Link asked, following me.

"It's a normal one with some modifications. Guns on the back have been replaced with Hybrid Cannon styled guns, has an underbelly gattling gun, and it doesn't have the normal blades. It's got energy blades off of an old Blade Liger." I told Link.

Where'd you get the money to upgrade it like that? Link asked.

"I inherited the Zoid." I said.

Well then, why don't we take go check it out? Link suggested.

"You'll see it when it's time to battle." I replied.

But that would give you an unfair advantage in our bet. Link said.

"Fine, it's this way." I replied, walking through the rows of empty Zoid slots. We passed the Gunsniper, and Link looked at it oddly. "What are you looking at?" I asked.

Nothing. Link said, walking over to where I stood. This thing looks like it can't even move with all that weight. Link scoffed.

"It has advanced mechanics, and the framework has been altered. It can run at a fairly good clip, even without the boosters. Of course, it is hard to turn without the boosters, and the jump height is greatly reduced." I replied.

Could you copy the modifications over to a PB? Link asked.

"Yeah, and they would probably help it quite a bit. Problem is, it would take a couple months to do it. And it's expensive." I said.

Darn. Link muttered.

"So you can actually merge with this?" I said. Link nodded. "Cool. Can't wait to try it out in battle." I muttered.

You haven't tested it in battle yet? Link asked.

"I haven't used it, but my father and grandfather have." I replied.

Have you ever piloted it? Link asked.

"Yeah, how did you think I got it here?" I retorted. Link growled softly, but didn't reply. "Let's go get some lunch." I said, turning around.

Um, I don't eat. Link told me.

"But I do." I replied.

Stupid humans and their stupid requirements. You guys should have died out long ago. Link muttered.

"So what do we do to merge with this thing?" I asked, standing in the sand in front of my Revraptor.

Just shut up and hold still. Link replied. Suddenly, wires began snaking across my body. I tried to pull out of their grip, and see where they were coming from. Quit struggling, ya scaredy-cat. Link ordered. I stopped moving, and let the wires continue. I was suddenly yanked off my feet, and then pulled back into Link's open stomach. I could now see things that Link saw, hear things, feel things, and more.

Whoa. So this is how you see the world. I muttered.

Yeah. Just let me get us into the Zoid. Link replied. I gave a mental nod. Good. Link said, rearing up to his full height. He suddenly leapt up towards the torso of the Revraptor, and I felt two small boosters pop out of his back. They sparked to life, and hurled us at the Zoid. I kept expecting to hit the armor, but it never happened. Open your eyes, I'm done. Link said. I opened my eyes to see that I was in the cockpit. It was different though. There were no damage readouts, pressure gauges, or temperature gauges. And I was surrounded by what looked like Link's armor. It is. Link told me.

"Oh. Where are the gauges and readouts?" I asked.

Gone. You don't need them. Link said.

"Battle, start!" The judge yelled over the comm. I immediately checked the radar. Aurora was up on a ridge, and I was out in the open, and the Gojulas was taking aim. I couldn't find the Shadow Fox. I took aim with the Hybrid Cannons. The Gojulas fired, and I did similar. The back lash of my shot propelled me back, and Link kept the Revraptor balanced. The Gojulas shot slammed into the sand in front of us. The shot didn't do any damage, but the shockwave did. I gripped the controls, and tried to keep the Revraptor standing. I could feel the right leg weakening as if it were my own and the right arm was also useless. I let slip a small growl, and I could feel the Revraptor also growling. I looked around for the Gojulas as I limped away from the small crater. A line of bullets made their way across the Revraptor's chest. I fired the underbelly gun into the smoke. Link started turning the Revraptor around to face the right. I checked the radar to notice that the Shadow Fox was sprinting away from Aurora and towards us.

"Don't bother." I told Link.

Huh? He said as I prepped the boosters, and let them slide into position. The Shadow Fox burst out of the smoke, and I turned the boosters on. I diverted blade, weapon, and arm power to the boosters. My Revraptor leaped forwards, and I set into a limping run. The Gojulas shot where I had just been, and took the Shadow Fox out of commission. I came to a stop near a rock, and proceeded to charge and aim the Hybrid Cannons. The Gojulas turned around, and opened up for the shot I wanted. I could feel the Hybrid Cannons beginning to overcharge, so I fired. My shot tore through the attachments of the back mounted guns, cutting off their source of power and causing them to fall off. The Gojulas charged at me with unexpected speed. Link and I tried to prep the boosters and aim them, but we weren't fast enough. The Gojulas spun, and slammed us with its tail. The Revraptor landed about 30 meters behind Aurora's PB. I tried to get the legs working, and then Link tried. The words Command System Freeze flashed across my screen.

"We're out, and if that Gojulas gets too close to Aurora, the battle's lost." I said.

Not if I can help it. Link replied. My perspective shifted as Link pulled us out of the Zoid. Get Aurora to come over here, and get rid of Terran. Link told me.

Aurora, Terran! We need you over here! I told them. The PB fired off some shots at the Gojulas as it backed up. Soon it was looming above Link and I.

What do you need us for? Terran asked.

I've got a plan. You need to leave the PB now! Link ordered. A brown streak flashed out of the Revraptor PB, and landed on a dune.

If the girl or boy are harmed, you will pay dearly. Terran said firmly. Link shot upwards using his boosters, and then arced down towards Aurora's Zoid. The Gojulas was bringing it's fist down when we merged with the PB. As soon as I could see again, I was in another read cockpit. I was surrounded by Link's armor, and a multitude of readouts surrounded me.

Ruska, you need to do what I normally do, and keep this Zoid running smoothly. I exhausted my self merging the two Zoids. Link told me. A vidscreen popped up to my left.

"What did that Organoid do with my Revraptor?" Aurora asked. I was talking with her other personality since the voice was different.

"He merged it with mine. I don't like it anymore than you do." I replied. I sensed movement to our left, and stepped the Zoid back. Aurora was caught by surprise, and was shook up a bit. "You okay Aurora?" I asked.

"My name's not Aurora. I'm the Raptor Empress." She snapped.

"Alright. Now do you want to pilot, or will I?" I asked.

"I will." She said.

"Em, you might want to get us out of here fast. That Gojulas is coming again." I warned her. The Gojulas was going to be within striking range any second now. The Zoid shook as Em blocked a blow. I sent power to the legs and arms, and then found what I was looking for. I popped the cannons free of their locked position, and turned them backwards. "I'm going to use the boosters to get us out of here, after we're far enough away, use the cannons." I said.

"This thing has the PB cannons?" Em asked.

"Same style, but they're also boosters." I replied. I turned the boosters on, and kept them aimed at the Gojulas's feet. We landed in a crouch, and Em turned the cannons to face forward again. The Gojulas began looking around as I vented steam from the boosters. The cannons soon reached full charge, and I spread the Revraptor's stance wide, and leaned forward on the fore claws for balance. Em took careful aim. When she fired, we were forced back about twenty meters even though I dug the claws in. The shot struck the charging Gojulas's hip, and caused it to stumble and crash.

"The winner is the Raptor Team!" The judge announced.

"Raptor team? Who thought that name up?" I asked.

"Trevor did. We need to get back to base and prepare for tomorrow's battle." Aurora replied. It sounded like she was her normal persona now.

I'll put you in the cockpit before I unmerge. Link said, the exhaustion evident.

"Alright. Thanks for the help in the battle." I said. "Any chance you could unmerge the two Revraptors?" I asked.

No. Link replied flatly. Everything went black, and I found myself sitting in the second seat of the cockpit.

"Great." I muttered.

"Hey, Ruska. Why did your Organoid put a second chair in the cockpit of my Zoid?" Aurora asked.

Because I could. Link mumbled.

"It's not just your Zoid, my Revraptor is part of this also. And he just did." I replied.

And now that I've proven my superiority over you, I'll leave as soon as I'm rested. Link said.

"Bull. I think we both know that I kept up with you." I replied.

I had to slow down to keep at your pace! Link scoffed.

"Would you please stop talking to yourself?" Aurora asked.

"I'm talking with Link." I told her.

"Whatever." She muttered. "Do you know where Terran went to?" She asked.

Get your own spot! Link exclaimed.

You don't need that much space! Terran replied.

"He's with Link." I said. The two Organoids continued arguing all the way back.


End file.
